I went to my favorite pond yesterday for the first time since about this time last year. With the water level dropping due to the extremely hot and long summer, I was concerned for the survival of the fish.
I have a friend who lives out that way and he would keep me abreast of the diminishing water. It got pretty low and small. Now of course with all the rain, it is the fullest it has been in a few years.
I fished for about two hours, working my way around the banks and landed two 12" bass(last year they were usually 8 to 10"), both fat and happy. Conditions were windy and cool and both were caught on a topwater popper with rubber legs.
Seemed like the best way to approach it, even with the wavy water.
Quite a relief to find that at least some of the fish "summered over".